


later

by bi_and_bye



Category: We Are The Tigers - Allen
Genre: Also very brief mention of stabbing, Angst, Character Study, I Tried, I'm Sorry, Very brief mention of everyone else, i can't write, of sorts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:14:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27274024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bi_and_bye/pseuds/bi_and_bye
Summary: Cairo remembers her childhood with Riley as she faces what she's become.
Relationships: Cairo & Riley (We Are The Tigers)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 13





	later

**Author's Note:**

> Basically, both the past and the future are weaved together. I have no clue what's happening in this fic. I hope it makes sense to y'all. 
> 
> Apparently, all I write is angsty fics. Sorry...?

"Do you want to be in my group?”

Cairo looked over apprehensively at the girl. Her hair was red, she seemed pretty short compared to all the other third graders, and the name on her desk read _Riley_ -

_Riley, laughing as they threw popcorn at each other. Riley, beaming with pride as their favorite cheer team won. Riley, promising they’d be friends forever. Riley, holding a knife to Kate’s throat._

Cairo thought it over for a second before deciding. “Sure. I’m Cairo.”

“I’m Riley. Are you new here? I’ve never seen you before,” Riley said.

“Yeah, this is my first year,” she admitted. “I don’t know anyone yet.”

“Well, now you do! I can help show you around the school,” Riley offered.

Cairo looked at her, sizing her up, before deciding that she really didn’t have any other options. It wasn’t exactly like anyone else was leaping at the opportunity to befriend the new kid. “That’d be nice, thanks.”

Riley beamed at her, and she returned the smile.

_Later, Riley admitted the only reason she even approached her was that she was tired of having no friends, and wanted to leave a good impression before she had the chance to make a bad one. Later, Riley argued that she didn’t need her, she would’ve been fine on her own, and that she rescued Cairo instead of the other way around. Later, Riley’s stutter broke back out as she admitted to killing the team, no remorse present on her face._

Cairo looked over at her best friend, marveling at the way her face flushed to match her hair and her mouth stopped working whenever she was called on. How could this be the same girl who was loud and always spoke her mind when no one else was near? This girl looked like she was about to faint just because she had to answer one question. There was a whisper from the back of the room, the words thankfully unidentifiable, and giggles broke out across the room. Riley somehow flushed even more and shrank back into her seat. Cairo’s eyes narrowed. That was not okay.

“Oh, no!” she yelled dramatically. She flung her arms out across the desk as she slumped over it. “I’m dying! I’m dying!”

_“She’s dying,” Kate cried, “we have to help her!” Cairo was slack-jawed in horror, Annleigh looked like she was going to pass out, Reese was shaking, and Riley was horrified- seemed horrified. Seemed. Seemed like the knife wasn’t still hidden exactly where she’d left it, covered in Chess’ blood, blood that she’d spilled._

Mr. Tyson sighed heavily. “Cairo, please sit back up. You’re distracting the class. Riley, if you would continue-”

“Death awaits me!” Shrieking, she launched herself back up before slowly sliding sideways and out of her chair.

“Cairo, one more time and you’ll have to go to the principal’s office,” their teacher warned sternly. She hesitated, remembering the last few times she’d been sent to the principal’s office, but she made eye contact with Riley, who was smiling so wide with gratitude and humor, and with one final burst of energy she flailed violently on the floor, seeming to all but those who were used to her antics as if she really was dying.

“Cairo! Enough!” Mr. Tyson yelled. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Riley, if you would please escort Cairo to the principal’s office.”

The classroom went silent before murmurs filled the room. No one was paying any attention to Riley anymore; all eyes were on the girl on the floor. Riley stood up, reaching a hand down to help Cairo up as well. She took it, noticing that the other girl’s color had gone back to normal.

“Thank you,” her best friend said as soon as they’d left the classroom.

Cairo smiled back at her. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll always be on your team,” she promised, bumping her shoulder against Riley’s.

_Later, Riley would return the favor, using her position on the team to get Cairo on as well and saving her from a bad reputation. Later, Riley would make sure Cairo never felt out of place on the team, no matter how much the other girls made fun of her. Later, Riley would give her a friendship bracelet reading T-E and, beaming, show her half, reading A-M, and Cairo would make a comment about how corny it was, her eyes sparkling with gratitude all the same. Later, Riley would promise that she did it for them, did it because she was on their team, making false promises that she truly believed while tied up in ropes after her attempt to save them all from something that wasn’t even a problem._

“Calm down, Riley,” Cairo said, sighing. Her best friend had been pacing for a half hour.

“Easy for you to say, you’re not the one hosting this stupid party!” Riley threw her a scowl, which Cairo pointedly ignored.

“You don’t have to host this, I’m pretty sure no one wants to come anyways,” Cairo said.

“It’s tradition!” Riley threw herself down onto the couch. “I can’t be the team captain that lets 38 years of tradition go down the drain.”

“You can, actually. Quite easily.” Cairo finally looked up from her phone, raising an eyebrow at her pouting friend.

“Cairo! You know that I can’t!”

“Well, stop stressing about it! You have everything planned out. What’s the worst that could happen?” she pointed out.

_The worst is three people dead. The worst is one in the hospital with a severe injury. The worst is an innocent girl sent to prison. The worst is her best friend, the one she’d known for years, the one she grew up with, the one she loved, the one that she trusted with her life, taking away two more._

Riley sighed. “I guess you’re right. I’m just worried. These girls don’t want to be here, but I have to make them want to be if we want to have a shot at Regionals this year.”

“You can’t make them want to be here, Riley,” Cairo said gently.

“I can try!” Riley said, springing up from the couch with peppiness in her voice.

Cairo shook her head at her before pushing herself up from the couch as well. She knew from experience Riley was an unstoppable force when she got like this. “I’ll get the popcorn,” she said, sighing fondly as her best friend hummed a tune, running around the basement for the last minute details.

_Later, Riley would stab two innocent girls. Later, Riley would have a mental breakdown and confess to two murders in front of everyone. Later, Riley would stab a girl and hold a knife to her throat with every intention of slitting it. Later, Riley would be knocked unconscious and tied up._

_Later, Cairo would stand over her best friend’s limp body and wonder what happened to the girl she’d known and loved for so many years._

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! I also hope that made sense and wasn't too all over the place lmao. Again, criticism is accepted because I know I really need it. 
> 
> Also!! I have another part halfway written but from Kate's perspective. If you guys want it, let me know and I'll add another chapter.


End file.
